Effects of mercury, cadmium, and lead salts on regeneration and ecdysis in the fiddler crab, Uca pugilator
Fiddler Crabs, Uca pugilator, were collected and brought into the laboratory. Autotomy of one chela and six walking legs was induced by pinching each merus with a hemostat. Immediately after autotomy, crabs were placed in solutions of Pb(NO/sub 3/)/sub 2/, HgCl/sub 2/ or anhydrous CdCl/sub 2/. The growth of limbs buds was measured twice weekly with a calibrated ocular micrometer and whole crabs were later analyzed for mercury, cadmium and lead using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Reserve analysis revealed that the crabs exposed for 2 wk to 0.1 mg/liter of mercury had absorbed 0.026 +- 0.001 ppM, those exposed to 0.1 mg/liter of Cd had absorbed 0.50 +- 0.10 ppM and those exposed to 0.1 mg/liter of lead had absorbed 2.04 +- 0.55 ppM. Retardation of regeneration was a specific effect of Cd at both 0.1 and 1.0 mg/liter. At 0.1 mg/liter, Hg was not toxic and did not have an effect on the growth of limb buds. At 1.0 mg/liter Hg could almost total inhibition of limb growth, but also proved lethal to 60 percent of the crabs. Despite the high amounts absorbed, lead had no effect on regeneration rate. The effects on ecdysis varied according to the size of the crabs and the concentration of the solutions. (FMM)
- Research Organization:
- Rutgers--The State Univ., Newark, NJ
- OSTI ID:
- 7130817
- Journal Information:
- Fish. Bull.; (United States), Journal Name: Fish. Bull.; (United States) Vol. 74:2; ISSN FSYBA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARTHROPODS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY
BIOLOGICAL REGENERATION
BODY BURDEN
CADMIUM CHLORIDES
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM HALIDES
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CRUSTACEANS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
INVERTEBRATES
LEAD COMPOUNDS
LEAD NITRATES
MERCURY CHLORIDES
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
MERCURY HALIDES
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RECOVERY